Viaplay’s Alexandra Aldred on the Continued Strength of European Dramas

For many years, Nordic noir has captivated loyal viewers worldwide. The genre, along with European storytelling, is one of the strengths of Viaplay Content Distribution, a part of Viaplay Group. Alexandra Aldred, the VP of Viaplay Select and Content Distribution, talks to TV Drama about buyers’ preferences, evolving financing models, increased cooperation among partners and innovative distribution strategies.

TV DRAMA: What are you hearing from buyers? What type of scripted content are they interested in?
ALDRED: We’re hearing very clearly that buyers want distinctive, character-driven stories—and crime and thriller remain the strongest categories across all regions. Nordic noir in particular continues to resonate for its authenticity and emotional depth. High-quality, grounded drama with a clear identity still travels well, and that’s where we see most of the demand on the scripted side.

We’re also seeing steady growth in non-scripted, especially true crime and sports documentaries. Both genres consistently perform well and align naturally with the premium storytelling our partners expect.

In addition, there’s growing interest in adaptable scripted formats from both producers and broadcasters, which allow high-value, well-developed and proven shows to serve as strong creative foundations for new local productions—reducing development costs and speeding up the greenlight process.

Across the board, partners are becoming more selective. They’re choosing fewer titles, but ones that feel premium and can cut through. This aligns well with what we offer across content sales at Viaplay Select’s curated lineup, and the Viaplay SVOD channel in selected markets—all of which carry a clear, recognizable Nordic and European editorial voice.

TV DRAMA: How have you seen financing models evolve? Is co-financing or co-producing necessary for most projects?
ALDRED: Financing has definitely shifted. With budgets tightening across the industry, especially on the scripted side, we’re seeing much more collaboration between broadcasters, streamers and international partners. Co-financing and multi-party models have become a practical way to get ambitious dramas made, simply because the economics are more challenging than they were a few years ago.

What we also see is that this environment increases the demand for content with a clear identity and for distributors who can unlock value across multiple windows and platforms. That’s where we focus: positioning our Nordic and European slate in a way to maximize international distribution and monetization, while also being flexible to the producers’ and commissioners’ strategies. It’s no exaggeration to say that we are the best home for international distribution of high-quality, distinctive European productions—not only those commissioned or co-produced by Viaplay Nordics, but also those from third-party commissioners.

TV DRAMA: Has the U.S.’s decrease in presales and commissions impacted European drama production?
ALDRED: It’s true that global streamer pullbacks have contributed to a modest drop in European TV fiction volumes, with fewer titles and episodes in 2025 compared to previous years. But public broadcasters still commission over half of European fiction, and we’re seeing real confidence in Europe through co-commissions.

For Viaplay, the shift has actually highlighted the value of curated European slates. Buyers are leaning into brands that guarantee a strong genre and editorial promise—exactly where our Nordic noir and European drama offering fits.

TV DRAMA: Have distribution deals also become more complex? Would you give an example of how you have distributed a recent drama series?
ALDRED: We’re seeing faster and more varied windowing across SVOD, pay-TV and FTV windows, often with regional carve-outs. There’s also increased flexibility from buyers around tighter definitions of exclusivity and, in some cases, co-exclusivity between specific channels and platforms. Added to this is more planning around ad-tier and AVOD growth to protect brand integrity and monetization.

For example, with a recent high-end Nordic series, we anchored the launch through early SVOD rights in our home region, complemented by additional territories to maximize initial impact. This was followed by a carefully structured sequence of further sales across key markets, including AVOD and FAST windows where they added strategic value—in some cases with SVOD window(s) following FTV/AVOD, and in some markets the other way around.

This approach allows us to balance broad reach with premium positioning, while ensuring the IP and brand remain coherent and compelling across all platforms and regions.

TV DRAMA: How have you been dealing with the rising costs of production? Is AI providing cost-cutting measures?
ALDRED: Production costs have risen across the board, especially for labor, technology and multi-location shoots. As a result, many buyers are focusing on fewer, high-impact titles, while producers are leaning into shorter series or mini-series formats to manage budgets.

AI can support efficiency in areas like pre-visualization, scheduling, localization and VFX clean-ups, and when used responsibly, it can reduce costs meaningfully. At Viaplay, we use AI and automation pragmatically: wherever they improve efficiency, we adopt them, but we never compromise on creative quality. Internationally, we are exploring the use of AI or hybrid AI solutions for localization, subtitles and dubbing.

TV DRAMA: Is Viaplay Select interested in producing or distributing micro-dramas?
ALDRED: We’re observing the rise of micro-dramas with genuine interest. It’s a dynamic, innovative space and while it isn’t part of our current slate, we’re experimenting with smart re-cuts of select long-form titles into bite-size arcs—focusing on strong emotional payoffs and cliffhangers—to meet mobile-first consumption where it’s thriving.